Electrical connecting and supporting device



E. C. WHITE.

AELECTRICAL CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I9, 1920.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

.PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST CANTELO WHITE, F NEW YOR (.'1O.`MEA.1\`I'Y, INC., 0F NEW YORK, N.

ELECTRIQAL coNNncrINe Application led May 19,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Connecting and Supporting Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

In the following mentioned copending applications of the present applicant there are shown and described various embodiments of a universal system for electrically connecting and mechanically supporting appliancesof various types in voutlet receptacles, viz: Ser. Nos. 350,688; 350,689 and 350,690, filed January 10, 1920; Ser. No. 352,087, led January 17, 1920; Ser., No. 363,419 filed March 5, 1920, and Ser. No. 372,383, filed April 9, 1920. In certain` of those cases the,I electrical connecting andsupportng devices are illustrated and described as for ceiling receptacles, while in others of the cases they are shown in connection with wall-receptacles. In any event, it is pointed out that the broad idea is the same in that by such devices it is sought to provide means for readily connecting and supporting appliances on a standardized system without requiring special wiring.. In some of the devices it is proposed to hold the supporting arms in place in the receptacle by mechanical means, while in some of the other forms such arms are locked in place by the gravity pull of the appliance. The present device falls within the broad invention running through all of said applications but is designed with reference to its application to a ceiling receptacle and to the locking of the supporting arms within the receptacle by means of a gravity pull of the appliance thereon. The invention will be described in detail in connection with one suitable embodiment thereof as shown in the drawing, inwhich- Figure 1 is a view in section showing the application of an improved receptacle and supporting arms to a ceiling outlet.

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section taken through the elements shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in plan showing one means of supporting the improved receptacle within the outlet box.

Specification of Letters Patent.

K, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC OUTLET Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AND SUPPORTING DE'vrcE.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920. 1920. Serial N0. 382,639.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation of a terminal member for the improved receptacle.

Fig. 5 is a view in plan of the terminal member shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view in transverse section of the same terminal member taken on the plane indicated by the .line 6--6 of Fig. t and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. Tand. 8 are detail views of suitable supporting ears for the improved receptacle.

In the condition illustrated in the drawing it has been assumed that the improved receptacle is to be applied to a previously installed `shallow ceiling outlet box a into which lead the main wires b. Since the outlet box t is so shallow as not to house the improved receptacle, indicated generally at c in Fig. 3, it is proposed to support this receptacle below the box a and below the surface of the ceiling and then close it by means of a canopy c. The receptacle c may be supported from a fixture stud c bolted within the boX a. and having threaded adjustably thereon a nut a2. The receptacle c which will be described in greater detail hereinafter may have secured to its side walls sheet metal plates (l, CZ', from which are struck up ears Z2-to embrace the top and bottom edges of the receptacle c, the lower ears d2 being .adapted to receive retaining screws e which pass into the receptacle. The plates d, d are stamped at the upper ends with key sections Z3 adapted to pass through y slots f cut longitudinally of a bridge piece. f which may be hung on the adjustable nut. c2 of the fixture stud a'. From the-description given it will be evident that by slipping the key pieces d3 through the slots f and turning them the plates d may be readily secured to the receptacle c and the unit thus formed may be attached to the fixture stud by passing the bridge' over it and setting up on the nut a2 to a degree sulicient to bring the receptacle in proper relation to the ceiling. A ceiling plate g can be secured to the plates d, d by means of screws g passing through reversely bent ears d4 on the plates d.

The details thus far described while of importance in constructions of this character do not in themeselves constitute essential features of the invention. This has to do principally with the relation between the receptacle and the supporting arms for the electrical appliance. The receptacle c may be made up conveniently of three pieces of fiber c, 02, c3, bolted together by means of through-bolts 04. Between these liber blocks are mounted terminal pieces h, it one of which, L, is shown in detail in Figs. 46.

This terminalplate is of metal and has stamped therein va generally curved channel h2 which terminates in alinement with an entering slot c5 in the liber of the receptacle c. The inner end of the channel h2 straightens out so as to provide a generally horif Zontal portion h3 for a purpose which will appear. On the terminal plate /L is supported a spring terminal 7b4 to receive the terminal arms of an attachment plug of standard form. This spring terminal h4 lies behind a slot c formed in the face of the receptacle c to receive such a terminal arm. It is evident that parallel terminal arms of attachment plugs can be received in the face of the receptacle 0 through the parallel slots to be employed for receiving the supporting arms of the improved device, one of such slots being indicated at c5. Accordingly the construction will admit of the us'e of attachment plugs having arms of either of the standard Jforms now on the market. The terminal plate h' is connected" to one of the-main wires Z) by a binding screw h5, the other terminal lz. being similarly connected to the other of the wires b.

The invention is primarily concerned with the improved character of the supporting and conducting arms used for connecting the appliance electrically to the source of current and supporting it mechanically within the improved receptacle c. The supporting plugvis made up of two symmetrical halves 7s, c, each' of which comprises a block of' fiber to which is secured a curved conductor arm such asl, the curvature of which.conforms generally to the 'curvature of the channels in the terminal plates h, k.. As shown in Fig. 2, for instance, one half la of the block has a curved terminal Z which issecured to the fiber by means ofta screw Z and is connected in circuit with the wire m from the appliance (not illustrated) by a binding screw m. The fiber-block may be carried within a metallic shell n the lower end of which terminates in a hook n having formed therein a curved slot n2. AThe other halt1 7c of the block is made up in. exactly the same manner and on the lower end of its metallic shell 0 there is carried a hook 0 which is similar to the hook a but, when the two halves la, k are brought together, in reversed position with respect thereto. `The slots n?, o2 within the hooks a', o are of such dimensions as to receive a locking element, which in the present instance is shown as a link p of a pendant support for the appliance.

position within the receptacle the wei secure support throughout.

With the receptacle c wired up and supported on the ceiling in the manner described in detail hereinbefore and with the conductor arms of the two halves L', 7c of the improved plug wired up to the appliance in the manner described the method of connecting the plug electrically to the main wires b and supporting it mechanically within the receptacle should be apparent. Each of the conductor arms Z isforced upwardly through the slots in the receptacle c and along the channels, such as It, provided to receive them.y lith the two halves 7:, k of the plug in some such position as is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and before forcing the terminal arms home the lock-4 ing unit or link p is entered in the slots n2, o2 of the sister hooks n', o and the hooks then brought together to the position shown in full lines in Fig. l. Any pull on the locking element p will serve to wedge it more snugly between the hooks in such manner as to lock the -respective conductor arms more securely in place within the receptacle. ln removing the appliance the reverse operation is carried on, the locking element p being raised slightly within the diverging slots so as to permit the hooks to be forced apart. l/Vhen the conductor arms ai'le in t of the appliance is carried by them. t will be observed that their ends may have points of rest in the horizontal portions la. of the channels h2 so as to better' distribute the weight of the appliance, although the wedging action of the arms within the curved channels is such as to afford an ample and The pull of gravity on the appliance will serve-to lock the arms securely within the receptacle and prevent positively the accidentalv withdrawal of the arms.

The scope of the invention will appear from the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical connecting and supporting device for electrical appliances, includingin combination a receptacle having terminals therein, a sectional plug having conductor arms to engage the terminals, respectively and hooks carried with the respective sections of the plug and adapted to receive in locking engagement therewith a supporting element for the appliance.

2. An electrical-connecting and supportving device for electrical appliances includ- 3. An electrcal'connecting and support- 130 ing device for electrical appliances including in combination a receptacle having entrance grooves and terminals therein, a sectional plug having oppositely extending conductor arms to enter the grooves, respectively for electrical and mechanical connection, and hooks carried with the respective sections of the plug and adapted to vreceive in locking engagement therewith a supporting element for the appliance.

et. An electrical connecting and supporting device for electric ceiling appliances including in combination a ceiling receptable having reversely curved terminal slots therein, a sectional plug having reversely curved conductor arms to enter the slots, respectively, liooks having cam surfaces carried with the respective sections of the plug and adapted to receive in locking engagement therewith an element of the pendant support for the appliance.

5. Electrical connecting and supporting members for lighting appliances comprising curved conductor arms, complementary plug sections carried by the conductor arms and hooks carried with the plug sections and adapted to receive in locking engagement therewith a supporting element for the appliance.

G. An electrical connecting and supporting member for lighting appliances comprising curved conductor arms, complementary segmental conical plug sections carried by the arms. and hooks having reversely curved meeting edges carried by the respective plug sections and adapted to receive in locking engagement with said meeting edges a supporting element for the appliance.

T. ln an electrical connecting and supporting device in combination with a iixture stud, a receptacle, plates bolted thereto and having flanged ends, a bridge piece having keyhole slots to receive the flanged ends and extending angularly thereto and means to secure the bridge piece to the fixture stud.

T his specification signed this 18th day of May A. D. 1920.

ERNEST CANTELO WHITE. 

